From ACIG.org
Europe & Cold War Database
Hellenic Air Force Open Day 2003 at Souda Air Base, Crete, Part 1
By Nicholas Tselepidis (photographs by George Psarras)
Dec 28, 2003, 17:20
Every year during the St.Michael's Day weekend, the Hellenic Air Force opens its bases to the public. This year at Souda Air Base (115 PM/Fighter Wing) things were more interesting since this was the first "public debut" of the brand new F-16C/D Block 52+'s.
Special thanks go to George Psarras for kindly providing these photographs to ACIG.org.
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| "500" (99-1500, c/n XK-1) without the CFT's... |
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| The same aircraft from another angle. |
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| "513" inside the new 115 Base Maintenance Squadron hangar armed for SEAD missions. |
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| "519" in front of the hangar that was part of the Base upgrade since the Corsairs left last year. |
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| "518" like all the aircraft parked outside carried only drop tanks. |
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| "515" was also parked in front of the hangar. In all 40 Block 52+ were delivered up to December 2003. |
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| Another view of "515" carrying a Sidewinder training round. |
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| F-16D "614" was at the center of the hangar in front of the Greek flag. |
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| A-7E "160002" was parked outside the hangar, as a reminder of the Corsair days. From 1975 Souda was the base of the Greek T/A-7H fleet before switching to the F-16 Block 52+'s in 2003. |
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| "609" is one of the missionised two seaters that will be tasked with long range strike missions. |
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| Taken during the ceremony of December 16th, this time with CFT's... |
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| 340 and 343 Mira (Squadrons) are training their pilots on the new system. By July 2004 the remaining 20 aircraft will be delivered. |
From Corsair II's to Block 52+'s, the transition is not going to be easy, but the 115 FW personnel is used to challenges... As the base motto says: "Virtue is achieved thru effort!"
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